Prospects for the Development of the Institute of Rehabilitation of the Disabled in Modern Socio-Economic Conditions

The purpose of the research. This study examines the development pathways of the national rehabilitation system for people with disabilities in the Russian Federation. It analyzes rehabilitation science as an autonomous field of scientific inquiry, refining fundamental concepts and categories that reflect contemporary trends in integrated rehabilitation practices. Particular emphasis is placed on rehabilitation diagnostics, assessment of recovery potential, and state support mechanisms that facilitate social and economic integration of persons with disabilities. Results. The research findings demonstrate that rehabilitation science addresses multifaceted challenges – spanning medical, psychological-pedagogical, and vocational-social domains – while drawing upon advancements in natural, technical, and human sciences. This interdisciplinary foundation constitutes its defining characteristic. As an emerging academic discipline, rehabilitation science adapts methodological frameworks and tools from related fields while developing its own theoretical constructs, simultaneously exerting reciprocal influence on their evolution. This methodological synthesis has already made substantial contributions to medicine, education, sociology, architectural design, and ergonomics, where rehabilitation technologies have been effectively incorporated into core processes. A review of contemporary scholarship on disability rehabilitation underscores the imperative for further advancement and institutionalization of rehabilitation science as a distinct domain of scientific knowledge. Its conceptual framework should be grounded in a multi-tiered system of comprehensive interventions encompassing various life domains of individuals with special needs.